Watch-movement.



W. B. MEHL.

WATCH MOVEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1910.

977,320. Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

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WATCH MOVEMENT. APPLICATION FILED APB..14,1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER B. MEHL, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JifiSlGNOR TO THE KEYSTONE KVATCF CASE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPl-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

VIATCl-L-MOVEMENF;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ar/rm: B. MEHL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newton, in the county of llliddlesex and t ltato of Massachusetts have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVatch-Movr-anents, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to those parts of a stein winding and setting watch movement which support and provide the necessary livarings tor the winding stem and certain adjacent; parts, any improvements being particularly designed .lor use in (a'uuiection with the tunerh-an" type of watch movement, so-called, and being iuttuidcd. to improve upon prior constructions in certain particrr la rs which will hereina't'ter appear.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a portion of a watch movement containing uiy inun'ovemeuts as preferably ((HtSlTlfHtftOtl, and shows the parts as viewed troin the it'ront ordial side thereof; Fig. 2 is a plan view ot the sa-n'ie parts as viewed. from the rear or inner side of the dial plate; Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section througl'i the winding stem and connected parts; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a supporting piece hereinafter described; and Figs. 5 and 6 are side and end elevations of the same respectively.

Referring to the drawings, that portion oi the winding stem 2 which is contained within the watch case comprises, as usual, a squared portion 3 on which the clutch 1 slides, a cylindrical portion 5 on which the winding pinion (3 is mounted to turn and a cylindrical bearing portion 7 formed at the inner end of the stem. The bearing for the portion 7 is formed within the inner end portion 8 of a supporting piece 9 which by preference is substantially yoke-shaped as shown in Figs. 4:, 5 and 6, and recessed at its outer end, as at 10, to receive the adjacent portion of the winding stem. This recess 10 is preferably made large enough to receive the winding stein loosely, as the bearing for the outer portion of said stem is provided by the rim portion of the watch case, n'ovision being thus made for fitting the winding stem to the bearings at its inner and outer portions regardless of any slight inaccuracy in the adjustment of the watch movement with respect to the rim portion of the watch case. The supporting Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 14;, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 555,491.

piece 9 is secured to the back side of the dial plate 11 as by screws 12, Figs. 1 and 2, and the space between its end portions overlies and coincides substantia ly with an opening 13 cut in the dial plate, whereby a space is provided within which the clutch a is adapted to he slid loi'igitudinally by the usual setting lever (not shown) when the parts are shifted from winding to setting position and vice versa. its thus constructed, the winding stem with the clutch and winding pinion located thereon can be inserted atv its inner end into the bearing provided therefor by the supporting piece 9 and then attat .Qtl to the dial plate by securing the supporting piece thereto, whereupon these parts will be permanently held in assembled relation without danger of being separated. or thrown out out adjustment in any way by combining them with the other parts ot' the watch movement. The assenn bling and testing ot the parts are thereby greatly facilitated, particularly as comp d with those prion constructions in which the bearing for the inner end of the winding stem has been formed in part on a portion of the barrel bridge, in which case the removal of the barrel bridge has necessarily resulted in leaving the inner end of the winding stem loose and therefore likely to be moved out of its intended position.

In addition to the construction above described, my invention also includes an arrangement whereby the part in which the bearing for the inner end of the winding stem is formed, namely, the portion 8 of the supporting piece 9 in the particular construc tion illustrated, is also utilized to carry the bearing on which the setting wheel letis mounted, said bearing consisting of a cylindrical stud 15 formed on the front or outer side of said portion 8 and extending through the dial plate 11. Said stud 15 has a shoulder 16 at its base, whereby the setting wheel I is held at the proper distance from the winding stem, and the setting wheel is held in place on the stud 15 by suitable means such as a cap piece 17, which is located on the frontor outer side of the dial plate and is secured thereto by a screw 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A pin 19 passing from the cap piece 17 into the dial plate 11 prevents said cap piece from turnin on its attaching screw, and that end of said cap piece which overlies the setting wheel 14 is preferably provided with a laterally-extending projec tion 20 so located as to overlie the minute wheel 21 and thereby prevent the latter from slipping off the stud on which it is ournaled. T he parts just described are so proportioned and arranged that when the are assembled and the supporting piece 9 is secured in place, the setting wheel 1+t meshes with the minute wheel 21. and is also in position to be engaged by the clutch when the latter is moved into setting position.

lieretofore it has been customary to provide independent supports for the setting wheel and the inner end of the winding stem, and in order to do this it has been necessary either to insert a short shouldered stud into the dial plate for the purpose of receiving and providing the bearing for the setting wheel, or else to form this hearing integral with the dial plate. In the former case the bearing for the setting wheel has been unavoidably weak and extremely liable to breakage or displacement, while in the latter case it has been necessary to employ a dial plate of considerable thickness, relatively speaking, whereas with my construction a strong and stable bearing is provided for the setting wheel, independently of the dial plate, so that the latter be made as thin as desired. This feature of my invention is therefore particularly applicable to watches of that type in which the dial plate is made thin and is combined with a false plate, so called. it being possible with my construction to form each of these plates, with the necessary perforations and recesses therein, by a simple punching operation.

The complete construction above described also has the advantage that not only the winding stem but also the setting wheel may be permanently attached to the dial plate in adjusted position. independently of any of the other 1 arts of the movement, so that the entire setting mechanism may be readily assembled and tested while exposed to view and without reference to any other part or mechanism. his and other advantages will be readil apparent without further description, and it will also be apparent that the details of construction of the several parts may be variously modified without departing from my invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a watch movement of the type in which the outer end of the winding stem is adapted to be journaled in the watch case, the combination of the winding stem having a winding pinion and a sliding clutch there on, a dial plate recessed to receive said pinion and clutch, and a yolw-shaped supporting piece secured to the dial plate and provided at its inner end with a bearing in which the inner end of the winding stem is mounted, said supporting piece being pro- 'ided at its outer end with a recess adapted to receive the adj accnt portion of the winding stem with sutlicient looseness to permita slight lateral displacement of the stem within the said recess when the outer portion of said stem is titted within its bearing in the watch. case.

In a watch movement of the character described. the combination with the dial plate and winding stem, of a supporting piece secured to the rear face of said dial plate and provided with a bearing for the inner end of the winding stem, said supporting piece being also provided with a cylindrical stud passing through the dial plate and projecting on the front side thereof, and a setting wheel journaled on said stud in front of the dial plate.

In a watch movement of the character described, the combination with the dial plate and winding stem, of a supporting piece secured to the rear face of said dial plate and provided with a bearing for the inner end of the winding stem. said supporting piece being also provided with a cylindrical stud passing through the dial plate and projecting on the front side thereof, a setting wheel journaled on said stud in front of the dial plate. and a cap piece secured to the dial plate and covering the outer end of said stud.

4:. In a watch movement of the character described, the combination with the dial plate and winding stem, of a supporting piece secured to the rear face of said dial plate and provided with a bearing for the inner end of the winding stein. said supporting piece being also provided with a cylindrical stud passing through the dial plate and projecting on the front side thereof, a setting wheel journaled on said stud in front of the dial plate. and a cap piece secured to the dial plate and covering the outer end of said stud, said cap piece being provided with a later; lly extending projection adapt ed to overlie the minute wheel of the watch movement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of April, 1910.

lVALTER B. MEI-IL. Witnesses J. A. FREUXD, E. R. Szvow. 

